Bell and spigot joint



23, 1932 J. R. nvwwmm:- 1,872,781

' BELL AND SPIGOT JOINT Original Filed Feb. 27, 1930 4'Sheets-5h t 1 2&6 TTORNEYS 3 7 7; 4 4 I. 7% 1 aw Aug. 23, 1932.

J. R. M WANE BELL AND SPIGOT JOINT Original Filed Feb. 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmkamon OWL/Wm 2/ ATTORNEYS Aug, 23, 1932. J McwANE 1,872,781

. BELL AND SPIGOT JOINT Original Fil ed Feb. 27, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Z0 ATTORNEYS Aug. 23, 1932. J, MCWANE 7 1 ,872,781

BELL AND SPIGOT JOINT Original Filed Feb. 27. 1 930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 39 f; I 6972/ v J15 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, i932 MQWANE, or SIRMINGHAM, eheaeme rrrn co y znny, or BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, A CORPORATION- on ALABAMA ZBELL Ann szeeo'r *zromr Application filed February 27, 1930, Serial 2N0. 431,85 9 Renewed iful y 6,1932.

This in en i n lat o oel e hell an spigot Pin jo n nd the me h o m k g th Mor spe ific ly, i vo P opared joints of the woodenwedge or block ypo th m oofa sem ling or Pre mood n bo e-oh sand i g th joint mater a o pa h s a t to y so tha the oalki g pe a in o fi l is greatly simplified and expedited. Among gther objeots, it aims to provide greatly improvegland effective prepared joints-utilizhs hove fil r bl ck or W dg ihtlwpaching spaoe to economize with the more expensive calking lead. Another aim is to preform and assemble the novel joint materials in such manner as tooloviate the necessity of,

ealking underneath the spigot when in the field, thereby dispensing with bell holes which a e g nera ly dhsh P p d t he 0 efiord oo ssto e i ihts- In general, this application involves im- Po t nt impro ments in h pip join d closedin my Patents Nos. 1,270,309, 1,288,992 an M865 7L, as Well s. in my app i h h,

; .Ser, :No. 167,509 filed February 11, 1927.

Other objects and advantages of the invfention will appear in the specification, when consirlered in connection with the accom- I I s e trated n Figs;- 9 and 100i theforn er patent panyingdrawings, wherein:

Figs.;l to oinclusiveare sectional views showing successive stages of assembling the preferred jointmaterials about a mandrel in a pipo e lr; a

Fig. 7 is an end view showing the joint materialsbefore-themandrel is removed; 7

Fig, -8 is a sectional View showing a spigot inserted in a bell ready to be 'oalked;

Fig. ,9 is a sectional 'View sho'wing acorn lpleted joint with the pipe sections in axial alinement; v V v I V '10 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, showing jointed'pipe sections wherein the axes of the sections are at a small angle to each other; p

11 is an enlarged vertical sectional viewof the joint shown in lfig. 10, but showi g he got ins ted in t e el be o e th jo o v alk d;

" Fig; 12 is ZLSBGfilQIlZLlYlBW similar to L hi show ng t compl t jo n Figs 13., Ii and 15 are vi s s mila to F gs- 0, 1. ehdi lh but s owing th Pipe ect n he ih thoir axe ateh angle oppo t ha ig- 6 is a s de le ation ofa ar ha F g-l7 is rl or ndiew th i oo block shown in F 1 "e' sioi oa so ii whm ohsr I ON.

mp tanhooi e imp o m t inv v th s ePP ohoh:

Referring to, my

row meta blo k -Sea d ag in thek otto of o h ll, on o t oh o ltie xpe i nce with them was that the narrow 1 1091;? would ,oeoasionally drive down heyond the spigot andenter ,the pipe, especially when the spigot happened to be inserted or turned'at the maxo a 1 at n i 1,270,309? an 1,28 2, bo h f wh disclos ring of no ilnum angle upon entering the hell as illusg i and 4 o helhht r- Referring to Patent 15485; tothe so 7 call: -therlead about halfwayi around the mandrel-1 o iat tho'h o s y f ing any ,oalkijng of .;consequence the field; underneat-h the spigot and thus to dispenseentire- -ly with the necessity for digging hell holes. I However, experience has demonstrated that the preoalked portionsofthe joint almost ine variably required touching up with a clouble loffset calkingtoohsueh as shown in Fig. 7 of some instances in which the touching up o. er-

.pf l l l g withJoell holes was abandoned ibe- :oause or the paramount importance of making jointsare properly calked all around andmade .yvatertlght. a v I .su ,e that all of the th p te t- Fur h e, ,l-thero' a e e 7 I used, it swells up and has a tendency to pre-- In the last mentioned patent and application, the jute packing is open to the objection' that when it gets wet before it is vent the spigot from going home and seating in the bottom of the bell; Another trouble is that, when the spigot of the pipe sectlon 1s improVed,'pre-calked joint and mode of mak ing the same; which islnot subject-to any of V ;leadjso as toeliminate-the necessity for'digproved, wooden wedges or blocks which eli'minates the possibility of the wedges being the foregoing difficulties or pbjections, one- "of'the important features being the method of pre-c'alking a small portion 'of the calking ging bell holes in thepipe ditches Another important feature 'is 'the'provislon of 1mdriven intothepipe by the spigot when the spigot is inserted at its maximum angle in a :bell andgwhich are self-tightening when water-soaked." Also, the new mode of as sembling or forming the joint packing ma V terials in .the'bell insures a tight joint with a minimum amount of field calking.

' spaced, annular lead-receivinggrooves 22 adacent to the mouth. -These parts are prefer+ ably made when'the" pipe "is cast and require E110 special machining. Otherwise, V, the bell -=maybeof the usual design. I

7 within thebellabout a'inandrel 23 of the type shown in my aforesaid application, thesame' I being "slightly'larger than a spigot so that ample clearance is provided for "the'spigotwithout binding. '9 Inthis example, a ring of relatively wide,"

" "In Figs. l f'to 6' inclusive, the-preferred oint-materials are shown as being assembled V insertion of I arcuate wooden blocks orwedg'es 24; is first inserted inthe bell about the mandrel. These blocks are preferably interlocked eat their abutting edges by tongues" 25 and grooves- 26' (Fig.j"17')f and each o'nehas onefor more ker-fs or saw cuts 27 extending to about the- I middle ofits length to permit the-inner ends l to be contracted or wedged radiallyiinwardly against a spigot; Initially, both, ends of the bloeks are square and all of thenrare 6 preferably alike. The curvature of the blocks such that t Will fi in bells of a given T After the ring ofblocks is inserted, it is. driven en dwise again'st the. inclined seat or "shoulder 21 in the bell andzradiallyoutward j 1y against the bellatthe jouteriend byine'a'ns "of cylindrical 'tool 28 Efwhich has *arfwedge shaped orfrusto conical" portion 29 at" its understood that the inner edge projecting downwardly from the. lowerend (Figs. 1 and 2) This tool is shown as having a radial annular flange 30 to facilitate its removal from the mandrel and it is adapted to be driven against the blocks by a 'cyl'indricalfsleeve 31 which works loosely on themandre-l. Now,' the frust'o-conical end inserted in the bell slightly out of alinement with it, the end of the spigot is fouled on one side withth'e jute, even iftlieju'te does not swell; c i The present invention aims tojprovide an,

29 of the tool engages the inner edges of the blocks and wedges them outwardly vagainst the bell, at the same time producing c'o'rre-.

spending tap rin or inclined faces 32 on the innersides of the blocks by compressing their ends against the bell. When the square shoulders 3E2 strikes; the .squared ends of the outer peripheral edges against the seat. The Y kerfs or saw-cuts 27 permit the inner endsof the blocks to besprung or squeezed inwardly as shown. Thus, the blocks are set'i'n place to engage a spigot attheir inner ends and the 1 I bell at their outer ends; The'outer ends act as labutments for calking lead, preventing any lead from being squeezed or'driven between them and the'bell; while the'lnnerbevnee faces provide an annular wedgeshaped' callnng' space lZOTGCGlVB calklng lead whlch,

I j I I when calked,willfurther force the outer ends- Referring particularlyto the drawings the e p preferred j oint'materials are shown as being applied to a'pipe' bell 2O'which-1has an in-. clined seat or shoulder 21 at the base and inner end or flange 341which'is adapted't'o'be forced between thebeveled faces32 off the blocks, and the mandrel 23; 'This rin'g is also shown as having anannular, square shoulderto'be seated against the outer square ends of the blocks (Figfl). The lead ringiisilthen call zed (see Fig. so as towedgeiall ofthe blocks outvv'ard-lyagainst the bell at theirout "er ends and driVeQthem-"endvvise farther against their seatssfThe lead 'spreadsflah erallyinto oneor' more of the annular bell grooves 22 anda'gainst the mandrel, 'atthe v{same time being driven farther inwardlybe- V tween the beveled in'ner faces of the bloeks and the mandrel; Sincethe 'cal'lredflead'ring provides seal orjdambeyond o'rfabove the outer ends "of the blocks, the mouth of, the bell may now be comple'tely-filled with molten calking lead 35,- as shown in Fig; 6, it being while this is done; 1

Referrinq to Figsii6 and Z ',n1 poured lead pipe is standing-.iupright", V

35 there shown as lbeingjpre-callzed at 36; around; about oneith rdthe circumference of I thebell, this portion being intended, to lie n-the bottom of the pipe ditch where it is inacessible without a bell. hole. Thispreliminary ealizing tightens all of the joint matef rials about t'hemandrel' andshi ts the man drel to an eccentric positionin the'bell (Fig;

6) Lilze wisgaspig'ot will be slightly 'eccene trio w threspect ,to'v the bell before the field joint requires no field calking around the v pre-calked portion belowthe spigot, the field calking around the accessible, uncalked' portion will Wedge the spigot intoia-concentric position within the bell, bringing it into proper alinement with the bell section, the lateral shifting of the spigot being essential to make a tight joint at the bottom of the spigot against the pre-calked portion. This is one of the important advantages derived from using the wedge-shaped lead ring in conjunction with the beveled inner faces of the blocks. 7 I

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9,illustrating the process of making a field joint-wherein the pipe sections are perfectly alined, the inserted spigot '37 is shown as having small, spaced sets of grooves provided by annular beads 38 and 39 protruding slightly from the outer surface so that the beads 38 and their intervening grooves lie adjacent to the inner surfaces of the blocks 24 at their inner ends and'the beads 39 are adjacent to the inner surface of the calking lead. Itwill' be observed that the external diameter of the spigot in the vicinity of the annular beads and between them is slightly reduced so that the external diameter of the beads is no greater than the normal diameter 7 of the spigot; This prevents the beads from'binding against or fouling the joint materials upon insertion. As has already been intimated, the uncalked portion of the calking lead is calked about the inserted spigot with an ordinary calking tool and the accessible portion of the pre-calked portion is merely touched up; while the extreme bottom portion below the spigot-is left untouched. The

result is a perfectly calked joint withlthe pipe sections properly alined (Fig. 9).

The spaced sets of grooves and beads serve a two-fold purpose in making tight joints. Inthe first place, the driving of the blocks forces them radially inwardly, to a' certain extent, into the grooves or beads 38 at the inner end of the bell, and the subsequent swelling of the wedges,when' water-soaked, still further causes the fiber of the wood to fill the grooves, firmly imbedding the blocks therein.

This helps to prevent the pipe sections from blowing off when one end happens to be unrestrained; 'In the second place,-the top or outer set of grooves and beads 39 not only imbed themselves in thecalking' lead when it is driven down but, also, they produce a better seal at the bottom or pre-calked portion of the joint. It has been foundthat, when the surface of the spigot is corrugated,

it is easier to get a perfect seal, because the 7 ridges or beadscut into the lead and seal to much better effect than would be possible if the spigot were perfectly smooth.

Referring further te Fig. 9, it will'be noted that the effect of theV-calking around the uncalked portion of the-joint is to force the a inner ends of the wedges or blocks 2 L radially against the beads 38 so that the beads-are partially imbedded in the wood. As the blocks around theupper major portion of the beads. in the blocks aroundthat-p-ortion. The

field-calked portion of the lead spreads against the beads39 around the upper por-.

tion of the spigot and thedownward pressure against the spigot also causes the'lower portions ofthese beads partiallyto' imbed" themselves in the pre-calked lead at the bottom of the spigot. The entire inner surface of the pre-calked portion of the lead'issealed against the surface of the spigot due'to' the wedging and shifting action upon final calking. As a matter of fact, the joint, immediately below the spigot, is made as tight as if the lower portion were again calked in thefield. A joint made-in this manner has withstood an enormous'hydraulic pressure before it ruptured or failed,

The ringof wooden wedges is subjected to the swelling action or influence ofthewater or liquid in the pipe after the joint-is completed. They are conveniently made of untreated redwood or cypress so that they will swell when saturated or water-soaked. As has been stated, this swelling causes theinner ends of the blocks to grip more firmly against and "further imbed themselves between-the heads at the end of the spigot. The beveled outer'ends of the blocks also force thewedgeshapedportion of the lead tight-er against the spigot. Any slight lengthwise or longitudinal swelling of the blocks will also tend to further tightentheir grip and the grip of the lead on the spigot. Hence, the improved joints are self-tightening and the pipe sections are more securely locked'and held;

together after they are put in1use.

In Figs. 10, 11'and'12, the spigot section is shown: as being inserted and calked with its axisat a slight angle to the axis of the bell section. It will be noted in Fig. 11 that the end'of the spigot contacts with the upper portion or base of the bell; while the lower portion of the spigot presses against the 'inn'er ends'of the blocks and the beads 39 contact the upper portion of the bell.- The beads. 38 on the upper side of the spigot arezslightly spaced from the inner ends of the blocks and the beads 39 on the lower side of the spigot are slightly 'spaced from the inner surface ofthe 'pre-calked lead.

When the field calking is done,"theblocks around the upper portion of the s pi'got' are driven endwise and wedged laterally and inwith the inner surface of'the "calking lead. in

wardly against the beads 38, at the same time forcing thespigot downwardly'and imbed ding the lower portion of the beads 38 in the blocks at the bottom of the bell. As the spigot is forced laterally and downwardly .against the lower blocks, the ends of the blocks are forced radially outwardly on the beveled shoulder, thus slightly shifting the blocks lengthwise. toward the mouth of the bell against the calking lead. The slight lengthwise shifting of the blocks forces the wedgeshaped portion 34 of the calking lead radially inwardly toward the spigot. Simultaneously, the calking action on the lead at the upper portion of the .joint forces the spigot downwardly against the pre-calked leadfas hereinthe spigot throughoutthe width of the ring. In Figs. 13, '14 and 15, the spigot section is inserted in the hell with the axesof the sections at the opposite angle from that shown 1 in Figs. 10,11 and 12. In this example, the beads 38 around the upper portion of the spigot contact with the inner end portions [of theblocks and the beads 39 around the lower portion of the spigot contact with the inner surface of the pre-calked portion of the lead. The field calking first spreads the lead ring against the upper portion of the spigot and forces it downwardly, imbedding the beads 39 deeplyjinto the pre-calked portion of the lead ring. This pressure is greatly increased by the'simultaneous' downward wedging action of the inner ends of the blocks 2-1 against the end of the spigot. All of the pressure is transmitted initially to said pre-calked lead, thus spreading the lead so that thewhole spigot moves downwardly. As the lead spreads inwardly of the bell, it pushes; or

forces the lower blocks endwiseand causes the inner ends to move slightly radially and inwardly on the beveled shoulder 21. The beads 38 around the bottomofthe spigot are While the two illustrated angular positions of the pipe sections are shown as lying in a vertical plane, it will be understood that the angles may lie in. other planes and that the field, calkingof such joints will be equally as V 7 effective to produce tight joints without additional calking ofthe pro-calked lead which is always put in the bottom of a pipe ditch.

7 From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the mode of assembling and preforming thejoint material at the plant is greatly simplified; that the improved arcuate wooden wedges or blocks not only effect a 1 3 great saving in relatively expensive-calking; lead,but also, assist in producing a tight j oint'during the field calking operation; that the construction and arrangement is such that they effectively lock aspigot within a bell and prevent the pipe sections from blowing apart; and that the joints may be calked very quickly in the field without further calking of labor and expense in completing the joints in the field, the completed joints actualy 'im-.

prove or become self-tightening when the blocks swell after being water-soaked. A

Havingdescribed the preferredform of joint and the method of making the same, it

is to be. understood that the invention is capable of'many different embodiments. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all'of the steps of the described method or all of the features shall be used conjointly, since-they may be used in different combinations and;

sub-combinations. What isclaimed is: 1. A-pre-formed joint packing for bell and spigot pipes comprising, in combination, a or ring of Wooden blocks interlocked with'each other along theirlongitudinal edges and in serted endwisein the bell; and calking material in the mouthof. the bell seated on the outer ends'of said blocks-L I 2. A pre-formed joint packing for bell and spigotpipes compr1sing,fin combination, a ring of relatively wide elongated wooden wise in the bell and conforming approximate.-

. ly to'th'e curvature thereof; adjacent blocks' being interlocked with each other along their longitudinal edges; and a ring of calking material in the mouthof'the bell seated on the outer ends-of said blocks. I

3. A pre-fomedjoint packing for bell and spigot pipes comprising, in combination,-a

ring of arcuate wooden blocks seated in'the' bell and having interlocking means at their 'blocksof arcuate cross-section inserted end- 7 adjacent longitudinal edges; and a ring of, I

, 'calking lead in the mouth of the bell present simultaneously forced into contactwiththe' V inner ends" of the blocks and imbed them selves in the wood as shown in Fig. 15.

with the inner faces of said blocks.

4r.v In a pre-calked bell and spigotjoint of the class described, a ring of wooden blocks insertedin the bell, said blocks having side edges which are interlocked throughout their ii lengthshw' p r 5. In a pre-calked bell and'spigot joint'of the class described,a ring of elongated, woodenblocks inserted in the calking space; each blockbeing arcuate incross-section' and int'er- V 7 locked at its oppositefside edges with the ad-' jacent blocks. i, 6. In a pre-calkedbelland spigot joint of the class described, a ring of elongated woods en blocks inserted in the calking space; each block being arcuate in cross-section and all of said blocks 7 having interlocking L tongues" and grooves at their opposite side edges.

7. In a pre-calked bell and spigot joint of the class described, a ring of wooden blocks of arcuate cross-section inserted in the call;- ing space and adapted to be wedged radially inwardly at their inner ends against the spigot; said blocks having longitudinal kerfs at their inner ends to permit contraction of the ring when the joint is completed.

8. In a pre-callre'd bell and spigot joint of the class described, a ring of wooden blocks of arcuate cross-section inserted in the call:- ing space and seated at their inner ends in the bottom of the bell; said blocks being interlocked along their longitudinal edges and having longitudinal kerfs at their inner ends to permit contraction of the ring about the end of the spigot when the joint is completed.

9. In a bell and spigot joint of the class described, a bell having an annular beveled shoulder at its base; a ring of wooden blocks of arcuate cross-section seated at their inner ends against said beveled shoulder; said blocks having longitudinal kerfs extending from their inner ends to points about midway their lengths and being wedged inwardly against the end portion of the spigot; and a ring of calked lead in the mouth of the bell seated against the outer ends of said blocks and against the spigot. I

10. In a bell and spigot joint of the class described, a bell having an annular beveled shoulder or seat at its base; a ring of wooden blocks of arcuate cross-section seated at their 'inner ends against said beveled shoulder;

said blocks having interlocked tongues and grooves at their side edges and longitudinal kerfs in their inner ends; and a ring of calked lead in the mouth of the bell presenting a shoulder seated against the outer ends of said blocks and an inwardly tapered annular flange between the blocks and the spigot whereby the inner ends of the blocks are wedged radially inwardly against the spigot and their outer ends are expanded radially outwardly against the bell.

11. In a bell and spigot joint of theclass described an inwardly beveled shoulder at the base of the bell; a ring of wooden wedges of arcuate cross-section seated against said shoulder; said wedges having longitudinal lrerfs cut in their ends; a ring of calked lead in the mouth of the bell having a shoulder driven endwise against the outer ends of said wedges and wedging their inner ends radially inwardly against the spigot; beads on the spigot into which the inner faces of the wedges at their inner ends are imbedded; and means on the bell and spigot interlocking with the ring of calked lead to prevent outward displacement thereof.

12. In a bell and spigot joint of the class described, a beveled shoulder at the base of the bell; a ring of wooden blocks seated at their inner ends against said shoulder; and contracted radially inwardly against the spigot; interlocking connections between the longitudinal side edges of the'blocks; said ring of blocks being expanded radially outwardly at their outer ends againstthe bell and presenting at said outer ends beveled faces opposed to the spigot; and a ring of calked lead" outside thelring ofvblocks and havinga wedge-shaped annular flange between said beveled faces and the spigot.

13. A pipe joint of the class described, comprising, in combination a bell having an annular beveled shoulder adjacent to itsxin nerend and annular lead-receiving grooves adjacent to its mouth; a spigot seated in the bell; a ring of wooden wedges seated at their inner ends against said shoulder and wedged radially inwardly against the spigot; said wedges having longitudinal kerfs at their inner ends to permit contraction of the ring against the spigot; beveled faces formed on the inner sides of said wedges at their outer ends providing an annular wedge-shaped callting space between the wedges and the spigot; the outer ends of the ring of wedges being forced outwardly against the inner surface of the bell; a ring of calked lead in the mouth of the bell presenting an annular shoulder. seated against the outer ends of the wedges and being spread outwardly into the lead-receiving grooves; and an annular wedge-shaped portion on saidv lead ring calked against the inner beveled faces of the wedges and wedged thereby against the outer wall ofthe spigot,

- 14. A. pipe joint of the class described comprising, in combination, a bell having an annular beveled shoulder adjacent to its inner end and annular lead-receiving grooves adj acent to its mouth; a spigot seated in the bell and presenting protruding spaced beaded portions opposed to the beveled shoulder portion of the bell and to said lead-receiving grooves; a ring of wooden wedges which are interlocked along their longitudinal edges with each other, said wooden wedges being seated endwise against said beveled shoulder and wedged radially inwardly against the adjacent beads so that said beads are partially imbedded in the inner faces of said wedges; beveled faces formed on the inner sides of the wedges at their outer ends providing a wedge-shaped calking space between the'wedges and the spigot; the outer ends of the ring of wedges being forced radially outwardly into contact with the inner surface of the bell; a ring of calked lead in the mouth of the bell seated on the outer ends of the wedges and spread laterally into and against said grooves and the opposed beads; and an annular wedge-shaped portion on the said lead ring calked against the inner beveled faces of the wedges and wedged thereby; against the outer wall of the spigot; Y

' 15.-That method of forming a prepared or 'pre-calked packing in'a pipe bell'having an-annular beveled shoulder at its base which is characterized by inserting a mandrel of slightly larger diameter than a spigot in the (bell; inserting a plurality of wooden wedges in the bell about the mandrel to form a ring driving the ring of wedges 'endwise against the beveled shoulder to force their inner ends against the mandrel and simultaneously expanding the outer end of the ring of wedges outwardly against the bell and forming beveled faces on the inner sides thereof at their outer ends; inserting a cast ring of lead having an annular wedgeshaped portion between the outer ends of the wedges and the mandrel; pre-calking the cast lead ring against the outer ends and the beveled faces of the wedges; and pouring molten calking lead into the mouth of the bell against said calked lead ring.

7 16. That improvement in the described method of'forming a pre-calked pipe joint in a bell having an annular shoulder at its base which is characterized by inserting a ring of wooden blocks in the bell; driving the ring of blocks'endwise against the shoulder to force their inner-ends radially inwardly and simultaneously expanding the outer ends of the ring of wedges radially outwardly against the bell and forming beveled faces on the inner sides of the wedges at their outer ends. 1 1 In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature. v JAMES R. MOWANE. 

